CRESTVIEW — Many of Trina Talmon's images almost hypnotize the viewer. They lure you in and don’t let you go.
It's a rare gift. Artworks that don't command more than a cursory glance before moving on to the next piece never make that crucial emotional catch.
Transitioning from snapshot to artwork takes effort. Anyone can point and shoot a camera, but composing something worthy of contemplation takes an ability to see the world differently from the rest of us, and the technical skill to capture it.
Talmon has both.
"It took three years in school for it … then my husband got me a new camera for my birthday. I thank him all the time,” Talmon said.
Several of her pieces grabbed me. "The Stare," a tight shot on a Bengal tiger’s riveting gaze at Sasquatch Zoo, is one of them. Gaze long enough and you begin to wonder if the beast has spied a friend or lunch.
"Moon Bridge," a charming landscape of a classic stone footbridge reflected in mirror-still water, initially appears to be a reptilian eye.
Through Talmon's photography, Crestview Public Library patrons will visit Cherokee villages, peer into a "Window into the Past" and, in a moody triptych, watch an American Indian in full regalia perform a tribal dance.
My favorite of her photos is "Spirit Wolf," a dramatic, majestic work depicting a tawny reclining wolf watched over by a pack mate, reproduced in black and white, behind him.
"I had a hard time picking the 18 photos to hang on the wall," Talmon said. "I'd pick some and say, 'OK, this is my favorite.' Then a month goes by and I'd say, 'No, I think this is my favorite.'"
Talmon's photos will be up throughout the month. Stop by and pick your favorite.
It's a tough decision to make.
Want to go?
Trina Talmon’s photography is on exhibit through April at the Crestview Public Library, 1445 Commerce Drive.
Contact News Bulletin Arts & Entertainment Editor Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: REVIEW: Featured photographer captures wildlife, landscapes